Laura Hillenbrand, the author of Unbroken’s source material, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, also wrote Seabiscuit: An American Legend. Yes, they are different considering they chronicle two different classes of mammals, yet consider their similarities. Hillenbrand chooses to write about determination and persistence against the odds. The one-eyed horse Seabiscuit was not supposed to race and certainly not meant to best his superiors. In Unbroken, Louis Zamperini was not supposed to escape an airplane crash in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, survive for 47 days on a precarious life raft, and then eke out existence for years through a number of tortuous Japanese Prisoner of War camps. But he did. Unbroken is the story of a man who had every reason in the world not to overcome, so many obstacles in his way failure seemed like the rational course to take. Aiming for inspirational memoir yet achieving more stomach-churning shudders than anything, Unbroken is a tough watch and tougher still to walk out with any other feelings than “Ouch.” There are three separate short films in Unbroken stitched together to form the larger narrative. There is young, troublemaker Louis running afoul of the law until he finds his salvation on the running track and then in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. There is B-24 bombardier Louis whose aircraft ironically crashes during a search-and-rescue mission who must then survive on the open ocean for a month and a half. There is emaciated prison camp Louis enduring the malicious punishments from the cruel and possibly closeted, in self-denial homosexual camp commander. Undoubtedly, only a handful of hearty souls could survive everything real life Louis Zamperini experienced. The audience also holds out against wave upon wave of bloody brutality splashing out repeatedly on the screen.

Director Angelina Jolie had to persuade the studio she not only could handle a production of this size but could effectively shepherd it through the complex production it would require. Jolie had only directed one feature before this, 2011’s In the Land of Blood and Honey; therefore, it is understandable the studio suits were wary of handing over such a prize to a relatively inexperienced filmmaker. Kudos to Jolie for not only vying to direct a story she felt so passionate about but also creating an authentic and accomplished film, which in real life, Louis gave a thumbs up to before he passed away.

The primary reason Unbroken succeeds is because it is dazzling to look at. Jolie was able to hire 11-time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins as her cinematographer. Deakins is the auteur behind The Shawshank Redemption (1994), No Country for Old Men (2007), and Skyfall (2012) to name only three of his praiseworthy films. In Unbroken, Deakins shows us believable shots of sun-bleached, starving life raft inhabitants and coal-covered stumbling prisoner of war zombies shot digitally because of the vast amount of visual effects added later to showboat bullets screaming in from Japanese Zeroes and sharks surrounding a flimsy life boat impatiently waiting for the meat cowering in them.

The actor playing Louis on screen, Jack O’Connell (2014's 300: Rise of an Empire), transforms from Olympic-fit mile runner to skin and bones, bruised and battered empty shell. He is the only actor in all segments of the film and adroitly brings the audience along with him even though this is many viewers’ first look at him. Casting an actor not yet saturated with fame was a shrewd move on Jolie’s part. Watching an actor such as her very recognizable husband in the role would distract the audience a bit. Joining O’Connell along the way are a dozen or so skilled actors, yet I would like to single out Domhnall Gleeson (2014's Calvary), the B-24’s pilot and fellow life raft rider, and Miyavi, the sadistic prison warden, Mutsushiro Watanabe, whom the POWs called ‘The Bird’, as especially talented.

Miyavi, in his very first acting role, is a famous rock star in his native Japan. At first reluctant to play the villain and then acquiescing to show us there were layer upon layers beneath Watanabe’s brutish exterior, Miyavi will be specifically memorable for the audience. He is completely believable as he stares menacingly at Louis and engages in perverse mind games. At times, the scenes between Watanabe and Louis are awful to watch and most folks may look away, but there is no reason to sugarcoat life in a World War II Japanese POW camp.

I did not read the book, but it appears Unbroken is a by the numbers accounting of Louis Zamperini’s World War II experiences. Those who read the book complain about how much was left out, especially after Louis came home. To that, I offer Unbroken charts one man’s journey in a specific time, nothing more. Everything after Louis’s fight to survive including PTSD and subsequent adventures is another film. At times monotonous, as movies filmed in a prison environment often are, Unbroken remains a deft personal story, which most folks will admire even though they may shield their eyes from the torture every now and again.